I dreamed a dream that brought a life,
one of my own choosing.
I dreamed a dream that began this life anew.
My world conspired and brought me, you.
A balm to the ache in my arms,
and for that I am grateful.

For what is there not to be grateful
for in a baby that has come into my life,
when I thought I would never hold in my arms –
when the time had passed when I could choose,
a baby as beautiful as you?
My world has started anew!

Comfort and joy are both a new
sensation in this heart that is so grateful
for you.
For this new and glorious life –
one that was of my own choosing,
you, sleeping gently in my arms.

And how they ached, these arms
of mine. How they burned for a new
purpose and feeling. When it came time to choose,
it was really you who chose me. And I am grateful
that God blessed my life
with you!

As I stare at my love, at you,
lying innocent and content in my arms,
my son, my life –
my world begins anew.
I am light! I am bliss! I am grateful
that you were the succor that I was choosing –

that you were the love that I was choosing,
that I chose you!
Every day I will look on and be grateful.
For I hold in my arms
my existence renewed –
you. My love, my treasure, my life!

Choosing to adopt brought you into my arms
You are my reason to breathe anew!
Grateful is a poor choice of word, for how I feel having you in my life.

Like this:

The following is a guest post in the form of an open letter from Special Olympics athlete and global messenger John Franklin Stephens to Ann Coulter after this tweet during last night’s Presidential debate.

Dear Ann Coulter,

Come on Ms. Coulter, you aren’t dumb and you aren’t shallow. So why are you continually using a word like the R-word as an insult?

I’m a 30 year old man with Down syndrome who has struggled with the public’s perception that an intellectual disability means that I am dumb and shallow. I am not either of those things, but I do process information more slowly than the rest of you. In fact it has taken me all day to figure out how to respond to your use of the R-word last night.

I thought first of asking whether you meant to describe the President as someone who was bullied as a child…